Chapter Twelve Thoughts
As soon as you enter, you are greeted by the warm aroma of food and lively laughter.
Inside the main room, the oil lamps were burning brightly, and a square table had been set up with several plates of cold dishes on it.
Thinly sliced braised beef, cold seaweed salad, and the smoked sausage brought by Zhang Xiaoyi were all cut into beautiful diagonal slices, glistening and tempting.
Zhang Dahe, Zhang Dashan, and Zhang Liuji were sitting around the table, peeling roasted nuts and seeds while loudly discussing this year's harvest and interesting things happening in the village, their laughter filling the air.
Zhang Liuli walked in carrying a basket, and Nan'er immediately let go of her hand, ran to her father Zhang Liuji like a little megaphone, and loudly announced: "Dad! Dad! Officer Xiong brought Auntie some delicious food! It smells so good!"
That shout immediately drew everyone's attention.
Zhang Liuyi's face flushed, and he quickly put the basket on the table, lifted the cotton cloth, and revealed the golden and tempting fried food inside.
"It's...it's the meatballs and tofu and potatoes that Aunt Song fried. She said it was...to add a dish to our menu."
She felt her cheeks getting hot.
Aunt Wang and Li Xiulan also came out of the kitchen carrying hot dishes, just in time to hear what Nan'er said.
Aunt Wang's eyes lit up, and she came over to take a look, praising it highly.
"Oh my! These are fried so beautifully! Golden and fluffy! Sister Song's cooking is so good! Look at the thought behind it!"
As she spoke, she glanced mischievously at Zhang Yili.
"Yi-jie, that Constable Xiong...didn't he say anything more? He just handed me a basket?"
Zhang Yili became even more embarrassed by the question, lowered her head, and spoke in a barely audible voice.
"No...no, he just said his mother sent it to him, and told him to eat it while it's hot...and then he left."
Li Xiulan smiled, placing a steaming plate of steaming fish on the table. She said softly, "Captain Xiong seems like a quiet, unassuming person. It's good that he doesn't talk much; he's honest! If he were glib and smooth-talking, that would be worrying! Who knows how many tricks he might be hiding in his heart!"
Zhang Dahe laughed heartily and slapped the table.
"Xiulan is right! Zixiang may be a bit quiet, but he's reliable and knows what he's doing! He's a good kid! Yi'er is so lucky!" He picked up his wine glass. "Come on, let's not just talk, the dishes are all ready! Let's eat! Let's eat! Let's also enjoy Yi'er's good fortune and try the Xiong family's fried meatballs!"
The main room immediately became even more lively.
Zhang Liuji quickly showed his father the newly pasted couplets, the ink still wet.
Zhang Dashan and Zhang Dahe clinked glasses and exchanged toasts.
Aunt Wang and Li Xiulan were busy serving rice and vegetables to everyone.
Nan'er stared longingly at the plate of golden fried meatballs. Zhang Liuxin's face was still flushed, but her heart felt warm and cozy, as if it were being warmed by the warmth of the room.
She picked up a crispy-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside meatball and put it in Nan'er's bowl: "Here, Nan'er, try this."
Outside the window, warm light shone from the windows of every household in Zhuohe Village, and the red lanterns under the eaves swayed gently in the cold wind, illuminating the small patch of snow in front of the door in a bright red glow.
The sporadic sounds of firecrackers gradually increased in frequency.
The noise and smell of alcohol in the main room gradually dissipated, leaving only a mess of sunflower seed shells, peanut skins, and scattered cups and plates to tell the story of the lively scene just now.
Zhang Dashan had drunk his fill and was now a little unsteady on his feet. Zhang Dahe, whose face was also flushed, patted him on the shoulder, and the two brothers were still rambling on about their drunken spiel.
Aunt Wang looked at the scene with a mixture of amusement and helplessness, and said to Li Xiulan and Zhang Yi, who were clearing away the dishes.
"Alright, these two old brothers aren't going home tonight! Xiulan, your father and your second uncle will sleep on the kang in the east wing tonight, they can squeeze in and stay warm! Liuji, help your father over there!"
She then turned to Zhang for attention.
"Yi-jie, tonight you can squeeze in with your sister-in-law and Nan'er. The kang in the west room is big enough to sleep on!"
Zhang Yili had no objections. He helped his sister-in-law tidy up the main room, then went to the kitchen to boil water. He helped his drunken father wipe his face and feet, and then together with Zhang Liuji, they helped the two elderly people, who were almost asleep with their arms around each other, into the east wing and settled them in.
On the kang (heated brick bed) in the west room.
Nan'er was already tired from playing and was sleeping soundly on the warm kang (heated brick bed), her little face rosy and emitting even, soft snores.
Li Xiulan and Zhang Liuyi quietly finished washing up, blew out the oil lamp, and crawled into bed.
In the darkness, only the occasional sound of firecrackers from people staying up late on New Year's Eve and the faint crackling of firewood burning in the stove hole could be heard from outside the window.
The room was warm and cozy, and the bed was even more comfortable.
Li Xiulan turned to face Zhang Xiaoli, her voice low.
"Yi-jie, are you asleep?"
"No, sister-in-law."
Zhang Yili responded softly, her eyes open in the darkness, gazing at the faint light filtering through the paper-covered window.
"So... I have a question for you, sister-in-law?"
Li Xiulan's voice carried a hint of amusement. "After the New Year, once you're married, what are your plans...? Will you continue helping your father run the butcher stall? Or... will you focus on being a good wife and mother at home?"
She hadn't really thought about this in detail.
In the past, it seemed that I just followed my father, slaughtering pigs, selling meat, and doing housework, day after day.
Getting married... it seems like it's just about moving to a different place to continue living?
She remained silent for a moment.
"I guess... we'll still continue slaughtering pigs and selling meat, right? Brother Xiong... he'll be the head constable, and I'll do my job. It's always good to have an extra source of income for the family."
She paused, as if confirming her thoughts.
"Aunt Song seems kind, so she probably...won't stop me?"
Upon hearing this, Li Xiulan chuckled softly in the darkness.
"That's true! Officer Xiong doesn't seem like the kind of old-fashioned person who keeps his wife locked up at home! Aunt Song is also a reasonable and kind person. It's good that you think this way! Women who have their own livelihoods have more confidence!"
She turned over, her voice gradually becoming sleepy.
"...Life is something you have to know in your heart... Sleep well, Yi-jie, we have to get up early tomorrow to visit relatives and friends for the New Year..."
Soon, I heard my sister-in-law's even breathing.
Zhang Yili, however, could not fall asleep.
Xiong Zixiang was a good person, and Aunt Song was kind, but in the end, they still had to stand on their own two feet and hold some money in their hands to feel at ease.
My father is getting old, and there will always be times when he needs money.
Having your own livelihood is always better than having to ask others for help.
"How about... starting a business?"
This thought emerged more clearly than ever before. What to do?
Continuing to slaughter pigs and sell meat is certainly a safe bet, but... is there any other way?
Her mind was a jumble of thoughts until the sky outside the window began to lighten, at which point she drifted off to sleep.
The first rays of sunlight of the new year shone into the west room through the window lattice.
On the kang (heated brick bed), Nan'er was still fast asleep.
Li Xiulan had already quietly gotten up and was preparing to go to the kitchen to cook dumplings.
Zhang Yili woke up and stayed in the warm bed, not wanting to move a finger.
A rustling sound came from the main room.
It was the brothers Zhang Dahe and Zhang Dashan. Although they had drunk quite a bit last night, getting up early was a habit ingrained in their bones. The two looked to be in pretty good spirits, though their faces were still slightly flushed from the hangover.
"Yi-jie, you're awake? Come here!"
When Zhang Dashan saw his daughter come out of the west room wearing a cotton-padded coat, his face immediately lit up with a smile. He took out two square red envelopes folded from red paper from his pocket.
Zhang Dahe also waved with a smile: "Yi-jie, come here! Your uncle will give you a red envelope too! Every girl in our family who hasn't gotten married yet has to have one!"
Zhang Yili was somewhat surprised, but felt a warm glow in her heart as she walked over.
Zhang Dashan stuffed the red envelope into her hand, patted the back of her hand with his rough hand, and looked at her with loving eyes: "Take it! This is New Year's money from your father! It's for good luck! I wish my daughter a safe and smooth new year!"
Zhang Dahe handed over another red envelope, his voice booming, "Yi-jie, take this! It's from your uncle! May your days be prosperous and thriving!"
The red envelope was thin, and you could feel several round copper coins inside.
Zhang Liuyi's face broke into a smile: "Thank you, Dad! Thank you, Uncle!"
In the kitchen, Aunt Wang had already heated up the leftover chicken soup from last night, and a rich aroma wafted out.
She added some leftover rice to the boiling chicken soup and sprinkled some chopped green garlic leaves on top.
Soon, a large pot of steaming, golden-yellow, oily chicken soup rice was served.
The rich and delicious chicken soup completely permeated the rice grains. One sip and the warmth traveled from my throat straight to my stomach, soothing and perfect for relieving hangovers and warming me up.
"Eat up! This rice soup is so nourishing!" Aunt Wang urged everyone.
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